Throughout the early years, children are learning to do new things with their bodies. Young children are also learning that movement can communicate messages and represent actions. Young children are able to perform and recognize pantomimed actions such as ironing, stirring, swimming, or playing the piano.

Singing or chanting can help make routine activities and transitions, such as gathering children into a circle or group activity, smoother and more enjoyable. And music helps to set a mood. Quiet, soothing music calms and relaxes children, while a lively marching tune, rouses them for energetic clean‐up time. Music and movement are also social activities that help children feel part of the group.

As children grow in their appreciation of the beauty of music and dance, they acquire a gift that will bring them great pleasure. Music brings another dimension of beauty into our lives. Music and movement benefit a child’s development in many ways.

Here are skills that music and movement can help develop:
1. Participating in a group
2. Social skills
3. Express emotions
4. Enhance self‐concept by sharing music and dance of each other’s culture
5. Refine listening skills‐noticing changes in tempo or pitch
6. Awareness of movement and body positions
7. Creativity and imagination
8. Learn new words and concepts
9. Explore cause and effect
10. Develop large motor skills
11. Improve balance, coordination, and rhythm through dance and movement activities
12. Improve small motor skills‐learning finger plays and playing musical instruments

]]>http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/07/08/music-and-movement/feed/0Craving McDonalds and dont want to drive?http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/29/craving-mcdonalds-and-dont-want-to-drive/
http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/29/craving-mcdonalds-and-dont-want-to-drive/#respondThu, 29 Jun 2017 23:23:48 +0000http://www.childcareconsultations.com/?p=84Lunch at your desk just got awesome. Get $5 off* your first two @UberEATS orders with code: FRIES4U #McDelivery https://cards.twitter.com/cards/18ce54hul0l/471ag …
]]>http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/29/craving-mcdonalds-and-dont-want-to-drive/feed/0Why Does My Child Play All Day?http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/13/why-does-my-child-play-all-day/
http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/13/why-does-my-child-play-all-day/#respondTue, 13 Jun 2017 21:01:34 +0000http://www.childcareconsultations.com/?p=74Read more about Why Does My Child Play All Day?[…]]]>Does this sound familiar? You pick up Gracie from her child care center and while you are on your way home you ask, “What did you do today at school?” and her answer is simply, “I played.” It can be frustrating, sometimes exasperating. You start to think things like, “I’m paying $200 a week for her to PLAY?!” Before you start shopping for another child care center, you need to consider all the learning that takes place during that “play.”

Let’s take a look at some of the centers your child may be playing at during the course of the day and what they are learning as they play there. You may be pleasantly surprised at the amount of learning that happens.

]]>http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/07/how-to-make-a-calming-bottle/feed/0What is Dry Drowning?http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/07/what-is-dry-drowning/
http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/07/what-is-dry-drowning/#respondWed, 07 Jun 2017 21:16:36 +0000http://www.childcareconsultations.com/?p=61http://www.parenting.com/child/safety/what-you-need-to-know-about-dry-drowning
]]>http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/07/what-is-dry-drowning/feed/0Why Does My Child Care Center Want to Send My Child Home?http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/07/why-does-my-child-care-center-want-to-send-my-child-home/
http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/07/why-does-my-child-care-center-want-to-send-my-child-home/#respondWed, 07 Jun 2017 20:58:17 +0000http://www.childcareconsultations.com/?p=55Read more about Why Does My Child Care Center Want to Send My Child Home?[…]]]>Every parent has been there, you get a call from your child care center and they tell you Susie needs to be picked up AGAIN. Why? There are a lot of reasons, but the guidelines child care centers use are determined by the Center for Disease Control and/or the local health department. In most states, this is also a child care licensing standard.
In a nutshell, the things that will exclude your child from group care are in place to keep ALL children healthy.
*A fever of 100 degrees or higher. This one often raises questions because sometimes this is the only symptom children have. Fever is an indicator of infection. The body is an amazing machine! In response to infection, your body raises its temperature to kill it off. It may seem tempting to just give your child a dose of fever reducing medicine and drop them off at your center. However that will backfire because the medicine wears off and your child’s temperature rises again. Not only do you now have to go pick your child up, you are stalling the body’s healing. You might say, “He’s teething, that’s all.” If you strongly feel that is why your child has a fever, take them to your pediatrician. If your doctor agrees, they can write a note that says your child is infection free and able to return to group care.
*Two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea. Why? Again, because the body is designed to get rid of things that are bad for it. Diarrhea or vomiting can be result of a viral or bacterial infection. It could also be due to food poisoning. “But, my child is on an antibiotic, and diarrhea is a side effect.” Then make sure your center has all of the documentation on hand that states this.
For more information or research, visit www.cdc.gov.
]]>http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/06/07/why-does-my-child-care-center-want-to-send-my-child-home/feed/0huny bunnyhttp://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/05/19/huny-bunny/
http://www.childcareconsultations.com/2017/05/19/huny-bunny/#respondFri, 19 May 2017 17:43:43 +0000http://www.childcareconsultations.com/?p=13sdadadasdasd
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